Desert Angel
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: Lost in the desert, Kakashi has visions of a pink haired woman. Military AU


Kakashi's lips were so chapped they bled at times. The air was dry and the wind never seemed to stop blowing the desert sand around. He wore a mask so he wouldn't breathe it in, giving him a ridiculous tan line. The heat was almost unbearable, especially with his uniform.

They were almost to their target sight and Kakashi spared a glance at his team to make sure they were on alert. With eyes still scanning the area around them, the large hills and misshapen rocks, he pulled out a worn letter from his vest. He felt comfort from just feeling the paper with his fingertips, but was thankful when Gai stepped up beside him so he could read it.

 _Kakashi,_

 _I lost a patient today. But this time was different from the others. He had grey hair and a scar on his cheek that was eerily similar to yours. It broke my heart when he died under my fingers during surgery. I can't help but feel like it's a bad omen. I can't stop thinking about you. More so than usual. I know I usually try to keep my letters light, but I had to confide in you. I have nightmares about folded up flags and I wake shaking. I've been sleeping at Ino's for the last week._

 _Are you safe where you are now? I know you wouldn't tell me either way. But please stay safe, my love. I know you'll fight for your comrades, but also fight for yourself. Please come back to me soon._

 _I love you, with every beat of my heart._

 _With love, your Sakura_

Kakashi's heart ached for her, guilt twisting in his stomach like a blade. He hated doing this to her. Each day away from her had been hell and he no longer felt the drive he used to. He just wanted to go home. But he'd already put in his notice, he would be able to soon. His tour was almost over.

He tucked the letter back inside his vest and pulled out her picture. He kissed the faded colors before tucking it away as well.

They'd been ambushed. All hell had broken loose and Kakashi had gotten separated from his squad when he used himself as a diversion. He'd gotten himself lost in the hills and taken out the enemy that had followed him. There was a stab wound in his side that he had dressed the best he could. He felt like collapsing but forced his feet to keep carrying him in the direction he thought the base camp was.

He didn't know how long he walked, but it felt like days and his eyesight was growing hazy. His eyelids fought him and his legs begged him to stop. But he knew if he did, he might not get back up. His throat was so dry from thirst, he felt like he was choking on the dry air. Sweat matted his hair against his forehead and he lost more sense and reason as he dragged himself. He'd be chewed out for it later, but he shed parts of his uniform, leaving his helmet and jacket to be buried in the sand. He felt like he was on the verge of a heatstroke and didn't care much for protocol at the moment.

The farther he went, the vaster the land in front of him got. Hills disappeared and he was out in the open with no shelter from the strong wind. It was bad for more than one reason. If the enemy didn't spot him and shoot him down, then the desert itself would take his life. No one would be able to find him out here. The sand would hide his body and he'd decay under the burning sun with no one knowing.

Night had passed when his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground. His muscles protested as he tried to pick himself back up and a part of him just pleaded to give in. A second of him considering it was all it took for his arms to wobble and he fell on to his stomach. His breathing was heavy and he wouldn't be surprised if he died right there from the lack of clean air. The wind was harsh against him and he idly wondered if the sand was _actually_ cutting at him.

He closed his eyes for the briefest second and saw a glimpse of a sweet smile. His hand fisted in the sand and he opened his eyes back up to see her standing before him. Her hands were folded behind her back and she tilted her head at him with a teasing smile. Kakashi tried to remind himself she was just a _hallucination_ even as he wanted to reach out for her anyway.

"Are you giving up?"

Kakashi flinched at the accusation. _How did she sound so real?_ He couldn't answer her honestly.

"You told me you'd never give up," she told him, sounding disappointed and it tore at him.

He struggled to just get to his knees, his palms red from the hot sand. He looked up at her desperately. _He could barely move._ She was wearing the yellow dress she'd worn on their last date and she looked so out of place out here.

She smiled at him like she was proud of his progress. "That's it, Kakashi. The man I fell in love with would never _give up_."

He let out a deep breath and tried to stand up. He almost had when he felt the pain in his side and fell back to his knees with an anguished groan. "Kakashi. You said you would _crawl_ home to me if you had to. Why aren't you trying?" There was a pang in his heart at the angry note to her voice.

He was insane, he had to be for a hallucination to have this much of an effect on him. _But was she even a hallucination?_ What if this wasn't even real? _What if he was already dead?_

"Get up."

Kakashi almost laughed as her order made his muscles move on their own. This time he grabbed at his side and managed to stay standing. He looked at her hopelessly and she smiled, taking a step back. She encouraged him with a wave of her hand. "Come on, Kakashi."

He took a step after her, his feet dragging in the sand. Her smile widened and she continued walking backwards. After about ten paces, she turned around and looked over her shoulder at him. "Come back to me, Kakashi."

Then, with another step, she disappeared. But Kakashi didn't stop moving, following after the ghost of her.

Kakashi woke up to the most beautiful woman. His mind was fuzzy and he could barely make a coherent thought. But she was all he saw above him. There was a blinding light behind her as she leaned over him. Her soft pink hair fell around her face like a halo. He tried his hardest to lift his arm towards her, his fingers barely grazing her hair before falling back to his side. Her green eyes were glossed over with tears as they fell onto his dry skin like rain. Her smile was breathtaking, though, even as she cried.

She laughed and he felt her press her hand against his cheek. "This tan line is ridiculous, Kakashi."

He smiled at the sweetness in her voice, a warmth that was so much more preferable over the heat of the desert. He sighed as his mind cleared and he choked out her name, " _Sakura_."

He'd made it close enough to his base camp for them to spot him collapsing into the sand. The wound on his side had worsened and he'd been flown out back home for extensive surgery. No one knowing it was his girlfriend that was the lead surgeon. She told him later that he'd been mumbling about _desert angels_ before the anesthesia had taken him.


End file.
